Empowering thyroid hormone research in human subjects using OMICs technologies.

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Endocrinology
• Genomics and Proteomics

Background:

• Omics technologies encompass genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics.
• Advances in analytical techniques enable comprehensive biomolecule analysis from human specimens like blood and urine.
• Thyroid research has benefited from omics investigations in population and experimental studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce omics technologies in thyroid research.
• To highlight the role of metabolomics in understanding thyroid hormone action.
• To elucidate the impact of thyroid hormones on adult whole-body metabolism.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on omics studies in thyroid research.
• Focus on metabolomics studies in human subjects.
• Analysis of plasma biomolecules as surrogates for tissue-specific thyroid hormone action.

Main Results:

• Omics studies have improved understanding of genetic factors influencing thyroid function.
• Putative thyroid hormone target genes have been identified.
• Thyroid hormone-induced shifts in plasma protein and metabolite profiles have been observed.

Conclusions:

• Plasma biomolecules serve as valuable indicators of thyroid hormone activity.
• Thyroid hormones play a crucial role in regulating whole-body metabolism in adults.
• Omics approaches provide deep insights into thyroid hormone physiology.